Toxic Shellfish

WASHINGTON (CN) – Red tides continue to poison shellfish off of the coasts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, so the Commerce Department has continued the closure of certain areas to harvest, for another year.The Food and Drug Administration requested continued closure based on sampling of toxic alga, which can cause a person who eats enough affected shellfish to become ill or die. Harvest of bivalves, including Atlantic surfclams, ocean quahogs, and whole scallops is prohibited in the northern section of the area and harvest of whole scallops is prohibited in the southern section. [Click here](http://www.courthousenews.com/2008/01/11/Federal Regulation Brief January 10, 2008.doc) for details and other new regulations.